High Sierra Topix

This is not a place to post trip reports, but a place for members to post current conditions experienced in the backcountry on recent trips.
This will give other members considering visiting, or traveling through that same location a heads up on difficult sections, so they can plan accordingly.

Please, do not request information about particular sections of interest that you are about to visit, your post will be deleted.

Please include the area you visited and the dates of your trip in the "Subject section" above!



Copy and Paste this outline below and fill out the info.


Route taken:



Difficult section encountered:



Special equipment needed/used:



Possible alternative routes:





Example:

Subject: Roads End>Rae Lakes>East Lake>Longley Pass>Sphinx Lakes 7/4-7/12

Route: Roads End-Upper Paradise Valley-Rae Lakes-Glen Pass-Junction Meadow-Lake Reflection-Longley Pass-Cinder Col-Sphinx Col-Sphinx Lakes-Roads End

Difficult section encountered on this trip:
- Lost of snow on northern side of Glen Pass icy in the morning hours.
- Bubbs Creek crossing very difficult, found the best crossing point 400 yards west of the usual low water crossing section.
- Big cornice encountered on Longley Pass, which was bypass by climbing rocky section north of the pass (class 3).

Special equipment needed/used:
- Ice Axe
- Crampons
- Trekking Poles

Possible alternative routes:
- When crossing Bubb's, I notice a section about 100 yards further west that looked much easier.
- Should have bypassed the cornice on the southern side, route looked barely class 2.

Very sparse snow patches. No traction devices needed. Only patches on North face of passes. No skeeters.

Love the Sierra wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 3:28 pm Very sparse snow patches. No traction devices needed. Only patches on North face of passes. No skeeters.

Including Langley itself?

tnhgmia wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 8:22 am

Love the Sierra wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 3:28 pm Very sparse snow patches. No traction devices needed. Only patches on North face of passes. No skeeters.

Including Langley itself?

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Hi,
I am so sorry, I didn’t particularly notice it. Cannot tell you about Lanagley.

I posted the best picture that I had of new army. I done think that I could see Langley from where I was. Didn’t go up to Long Lake because the wind was so strong it made it miserable to be out there.

I did a quick out and back Friday and Saturday. Most of the snow is gone (at least this south)!

Route taken:

Road's End (Bubb's Creek) -> Avalanche Pass -> Roaring River/Cloud Canyon -> The Whaleback -> and back...

Difficult section encountered:

• Minor snow patches in shaded area, e.g., near Sphinx Creek drainage 8500ft and near top of Avalanche Pass 9800ft. Snow was soft at 9am, often postholing to ankles. Most patches could be easily avoided. Navigation was slightly slowed. All snow was on north facing aspects or in shaded areas. No real snowline.

• Minimal damage from winter: a few downed trees and 1 tiny bit of trail washed out on the uphill.

• A section of trail on the south side of the pass, passes thru where the Moraine fire burned (2020) and there are down trees here. It's not too bad.

• Minimal mosquitoes even thru Big Wet Meadow (it was windy though).

• Creek crossing were all easy and at worse calf height.

Special equipment needed/used:

No traction devices needed.

Route taken: Piute Pass Trail to top of pass 11,500.

Difficult section encountered: Snow patches on trail starting 10,600, complete snow blanket at pass. Later afternoon postholing 6"-18", which can be mostly avoided except at the top. The view out over Humphreys Basin shows a lot of snow; it probably needs another two weeks to clear. View west looking up at the pass.
View on the pass looking west towards Summit Lake

nice report.

Thanks for sharing the report, looks like ice out for the lakes is coming soon, if the weather stays warm.

Texan